Awkward Grace under fire

Grace Tame appears visibly uncomfortable as she stands for a picture with Scott Morrison. Picture: Gary Ramage/NCA NewsWire.

During her final hours as Australian of the Year, one thing became abundantly clear — Grace won’t let the current prime minister Tame her legacy.

When people say a picture is worth a thousand words, it's clearly a figure plucked out of thin air, as round as it is random. Some pictures barely warrant a dozen. Others — think Tony Abbott sporting a speedo — leave you at a loss for words, and not in a good way.

Then there are those that do measure up to the 1000-word standard, such as the final official photographs of Scott Morrison and Grace Tame.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife beam as Grace Tame and her fiance stand for a picture. Picture: Gary Ramage Picture: NCA NewsWire

Scott Morrison outstretches his hand to shake that of Grace Tame’s fiance, Max Heerey. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The 27-year-old sexual assault survivor, alongside fiance Max Heerey, looked reluctant as they rolled up for Tuesday’s morning tea to meet this year’s nominees.

“Grace! Come on, Grace,” Morrison called out, as she stood outside the entrance to The Lodge.

Tame pulled out the old side eye like it was an Olympic event. If looks could kill, Australia would be looking for its 31st prime minister.

“How are you going? Congratulations on the engagement,” Morrison added, as he thrust his hand out for a shake.

While Morrison and his wife grinned from ear to ear, Tame kept her focus firmly on the ground, only lifting her head to thank Jenny for her well wishes.

Grace Tame appears to reluctantly accepts the PM’s hand. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Grace Tame avoids eye contact as the awkward foursome splits up. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Silence filled the air, as the awkward foursome posed for the pack of photographers, making the twenty second feel like it stretched on for hours.

You can almost Tame thinking … ‘how did I get here’?

It was exactly one year ago, on January 25, 2021, that Tame first encountered the prime minister.

A day before she was anointed to the diplomatic position — an award “I didn’t choose” — the Tassie devil filmed a cheeky video mugging behind Morrison. Pulling a face in Parliament House, alongside a Hawaii gif, the caption read: “creeping up like climate change”.

Since then, so much has changed. Tame has become a household name, helped spark a reckoning around sexual violence and gender inequality and, on several occasions, singled out the man who handed her the award.

Yet ironically, twelve months after issuing the instruction “Let’s make some noise, Australia” in her Australian of the Year acceptance speech, it was Tame’s last silent act that spoke volumes.

[e-mail]

Grace Tame looks unimpressed during the morning tea. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage